Kre'ja the Thief
by benjamiinnn
Summary: "Watch the entrances! Cover the inner walls!" Kre'ja and Aela are found in the city of Whiterun after hours, how will their lives differ from that point on? The story surrounding Kre'ja, a Khajiit born from two protectors of the trading caravans in a world where his entire race are hated, and where he must do things he never dreamed of in the name of survival.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Youth**

_Tirdas, 21__st__ of Heartfire, 4E 191_

"Come on Kre'ja, you'd better keep up or I'm gonna lose you on these rooftops!"

"Hey, leave it out Aela. Remember you've got three years on me! I may only be fifteen but I'm still close behind you."

Damn. She's fast for a Nord, but I'm a Khajiit and I'm built for this kind of stuff. In addition like all the Khajiit, I've got the ability to see clearly when the night sky is shining down, blackening everything out with only the street lamps to light the city up. But they don't quite reach the tops of the houses, and so Aela sometimes struggles to get her footing just right. But me... Jumping and landing, scaling the walls in my cat-like fashion; I'm the best there is for anyone at this age. My body hasn't fully finished growing yet; legs still aren't as long as hers and sometimes I find my lungs aren't getting enough air in and out. In a few more years though I'll be the best, and then I won't be the one 'buying the next round' at the Honningbrew Meadery.

The race is to the right hand watchtower at Dragonsreach from where her and her father camp at the edge of the woods between the city and Riverwood - the town just down south from Whiterun - as per the usual. The rules? There's only one, and that's don't get caught. But it's become increasingly difficult to manage it recently. We've been playing this game for years, but restrictions in and around Whiterun have become a bit too strict for both mine and Aela's liking. For example, the local guard refuse to let anyone in after nightfall. In fact they retract the drawbridge leading to the main gates to the city which makes it near impossible for most people to get in. Except us. Most of the wall around is about thirty feet in height, except one bit around the back. Only twenty foot high, it's still hard to climb, but that's our window of opportunity.

Secondly we used to go straight through Pelagia Farm. But they soon put a stop to that, Severio Pelagia the spoil sport! I guess it wasn't directed at us, because I know a lot of bandits used to go and steal his crop from time to time. So he's got it trapped recently, and even though he's hired workers have other places to live, especially Gloth with a home in the city, they practically live on the farm. Most of the townsfolk reckon he's hired them to watch over it at night when it's not being worked on. Rumour has it that Nimriel actually shot a bandit with a bow and arrow out of the window, but only wounding him in the leg. The guards picked him up in the morning and took him off to the Whiterun dungeons in Dragonsreach.

Alas, even if we do successfully get into the city, nobody is allowed to roam the streets after midnight, as that's when the inns close down the bars and order everyone home, or to bed in the few rooms they have there. So if we go in after that time, we need to be extra careful. Anyone out after midnight is arrested. Same case scenario happens for anyone trespassing on Dragonsreach after nightfall, which runs in sync with the closing of the city and retraction of the drawbridge. Except trespassing on Dragonsreach is a lot more serious. The Jarl's palace and all that… So you can imagine that if we get caught in one of the watchtowers after hours it's bound to come with a pretty hefty sentence.

"You'll be buying the next round over at the Honningbrew tomorrow _again_ Kre'ja!" Her shout only just reached my ears.

Wait! Her shout? I looked up. Aela was already standing on the Temple of Kynareth and about to take the leap to the rocks leading to the section of water at the base of Dragonsreach. Here's me though, still staggering behind on the roof of Heimskr's house. I keep my senses, adapting to the situation and jumping off beside the Gildergreen tree. Performing a perfect roll, but not to break the fall. My natural Khajiit legs are built to take a twelve foot drop with similar pressure to your average Nord jumping off a bench. The roll is out of habit now. My father's managed to drill this entire art into me naturally, and with me being what I am, I can take much bigger height drops. I think my biggest has been fifty feet. But any other race struggles to manage fifteen, and that's including the break roll when they land.

I didn't dare carry on running after her though. The race was clearly over now. I ran for cover behind one of the walls closing in Jorrvaskr. I'd already seen three of the guardsmen running down from Dragonsreach towards the temple. Why did she have to shout over to me? She should have known better! Aela can't spot the guards coming, there's no way she could. The city's pitch black. But I think her common sense finally kicked in after I didn't reply to her comment, for she soon dropped down from the roof. Rolling across the ground as I did, and making a run for it.

"Watch the entrances! Cover the inner walls!" Commander Caius yelled at his guards, and they followed it out. Blocking any way out she had, the walls were covered. If she tried to climb over one of them she'd be seen for certain and quickly shot down. But she's got to do something, the patrol are closing in on her location. She's clueless though, we've never been in this situation before. The worst we've had is receiving a telling off when we were climbing around the walls, but that was in daylight. The rules at night follow a different pattern.

I decide to use my initiative, looking to the steps leading to Dragonsreach, and then towards the ones leading down to the market square.

There are no guards coming from Dragonsreach now, but there are two coming up from the stalls to my left. However I think I can make it across to the Hall of the Dead, and then make it to Aela from there. Father taught me a good technique for a short sprint, something only the Khajiit and the Argonians have truly mastered due to our unique natural agile bodies. So I lower myself to the floor, almost lying down, apart from my hands and feet, which are keeping my body just a few inches off the ground. Then I run. Using both my hands and my feet to propel myself forward, pushing into the floor with both, repeatedly and quickly. In early evening when it's half way between light and dark this move is nothing but a blur to anyone's eye. At night though with no light the move is literally invisible. So I guess I'm just incredibly lucky they don't place street lights around the Gildergreen area. Some religious reasons stopped the Jarl from doing it, but the reasons don't matter. I'm just glad they're not here. Moving like this, taking eight foot leaps at a time I've reached the Hall of the Dead in just under six seconds. I crouch down and run over towards Aela, who's lying down in the grass, pressing herself against the wall of the Battle-Born mansion. So far the guard seem to have missed her, but a full search will begin shortly and they'll undoubtedly discover her.

Sneaking up behind her, I quickly place my hand across her mouth to stop her screaming out in fright, and whisper in here ear,

"Come on, we need to get out of here."

"Kre'ja! I thought you'd fled the city already, oh Talos what have I done? I could get put away for at least a year for this, it's got to be more than two hours past midnight. And the daylight will settle in a few more hours. Then we're screwed! What are we going to do?"

I slouch against the wall of the building, keeping myself kept tightly in. Although there's not too much need for me, I'm dressed in complete black, most likely invisible to all the guards given the right light and cover. I'm tempted to suggest breaking into one of the houses, but if we're caught doing that it will just add to the sentence we'll get if we're caught on the streets.

"What about Jorrvaskr? Is your mother there?" It was the only idea I could possibly think of at the moment, it's a long shot though. The Companions are rarely there these days, they've got a lot going on right now and most of them have taken to travelling from city to city all the time.

"No she's out taking care of some problem over in the west somewhere. As are the rest of them, I think it's some troubles with necromancers or something; I wasn't filled in very much on the details."

"Then we're gonna have to sort ourselves out of this mess." I sigh; this isn't going to be easy. I can't tell Aela that though, she needs a clean record if she's going to join the Companions. That's the only reason she's so worried and panicked, and I can tell. She's not normally like this, her usual character's stronger and fiercer than mine, but when it comes to her life career it gets sensitive. All her female ancestors have been in the Companions since it started, and she's aspiring to follow in their footsteps. "Quick, down here. Some of the guards on the southern wall have regrouped somewhere else, but we'll only have a minute or two."

She gets up of her back, still crouched down, and waits for me to lead. Turning round the corner of the Battle-Born household, I pick up a large piece of firewood sitting outside between the back and the wall.

"What are you doing?" She asks me, a bit of concern in her voice.

"Calm down Aela, I know what I'm doing." In all honesty that's a lie. But I'm assuming it would be better to just knock out a few guards rather than actually kill them. I've got my throwing knives, which I always carry at least three with me at all times, but my bow and arrow set are by my bedside at home. Weapons aren't permitted in city holds for people under eighteen, but it's not too hard to hide a few little knives. Then again neither is drinking allowed. But my father did a favour for Sabjorn - the owner of the inn - a few years back, and so he gets along with my family and doesn't have a problem with my being in there.

We half walk and half run in our continuous crouched position, keeping to the darkest and most shaded areas of the city. Keeping close to the stone walls and the wooden houses. I try and make my way down the steps towards the Drunken Huntsman, but Aela stays back. She can hear the two guards at the main gate discussing what to do, and she can see them now as well. The blacksmiths, Warmaiden's is on the right to the gates leading out of this mess, and is illuminated with the street lamps hanging from its roofed banisters. I turn round back towards her, realising she isn't budging, and run back up the stairs to her.

"Aela come on! This is the only way we're going to get out!"

"I can't do it Kre'ja, we'll get caught!"

"No we won't, all I have to do is knock them out with this bloody log and we'll be away. There's only two of them, and I don't think there are any on the other side of the gate. They've been looking for us for half an hour now, I'm sure they'll have been drawn into the city to help with the search."

"But what if they haven't? If there are still two more on the other side of that gate then we're not going to just get away with a jail sentence when they realise we've knocked out two of their colleagues!"

"We've got to try! Come on!" Impatiently I enforce what I've already said and she caves. I go down the stairs again, but this time all the way to the bottom. I move over to the right hand side, nearer to the south wall where the light from the Drunken Huntsman won't shine on me as fiercely, and so I can get nearer towards the guards before I'm seen. Okay. Here goes nothing. I get within a few feet behind the first guard, and stand up to swing the big plank of wood over towards his head. But the other one sees me before it makes contact. He yells just as my first blow sends the guard down to the floor, and I go for a second to finish knocking his lights out when the other draws his sword. The first is down, temporarily until he's woken up later by his fellow guardsmen. Just one more to go and we can open the gates and get out. Except his yell must've attracted the other patrols. For I can soon see five, six maybe even seven men coming down from Belethor's General Goods. The one at the front raising his bow and arrow towards me. I could be dead any second. But I bring about my former skills that I've learned. I jump towards the southern wall, kicking off from it and landing upon the second guard by the gate. They won't shoot now, they don't exactly have the best aim in the world and there'll be too much confusion between me and this guy on the floor in this dim light. I push my claws deep into the main vein in his neck, which takes blood and oxygen to the brain of the humanoids in Skyrim but not drawing blood. The pressure only needs to be applied for approximately eight seconds though before the brain shuts down temporarily from lack of blood flow.

By this time though the patrol have moved far and fast, almost reaching Warmaiden's, but not just yet. They've only passed Breezehome although it should only be a few seconds before they reach me. The other six start to draw their swords. Racing towards me. I take out my three throwing knives, darting one into the ground below me for use in a second whilst I ready the first two in my right and left hands, tips of the blades between my fingertips. I throw the one from my right hand towards the arm of the one arching the bow, stopping him in his tracks before he can release the arrow towards my chest. The second in my left hand at the leg of the next guard in line, the one closest to me. Bringing him down to the floor in agony. With his sword drawn he tumbles and scrapes it across the hip of another guard. Blood gushing out over the place. I pick up the third knife I stuck into the ground and aim it at another guard's leg, but seeing what happened before he throws his sword aside, to make sure he doesn't make the same mistake and tumbles on top of the one who was originally at the front. Falling flat on his face, and crushing the other man under his weight.

That leaves three men left, and I'm fresh out of ideas.

They start closing in, walking now though, and forming a triangle around me against the main gate. I assume the watchmen on the other side were indeed called inside to help with the search. Otherwise I would have been surrounded from the back as well.

"We've got you now scum. Why don't you lower your hood so we can get a good look at your face?" Snidely commented, clearly by the most obnoxious of the remaining left. But I dare not; if they see my face then I am well and truly screwed. I know better than to speak as well, most of the people in this city know me well. I've made quite a name for myself here. All they've got on me is that I'm a Khajiit. But they'll assume I'm some sort of bandit, meaning in the event I can actually escape and get home I'll be safe from future pending investigations.

"Come on man, just give yourself up and kneel down so we can arrest you." I don't though. I start looking round for a way out. The guards are almost right in front of me now, but keeping a distance in case I've got any hidden moves they haven't seen yet that could be executed up close. All of a sudden though, in my second of hopelessness an arrow flies down towards the obnoxious guard, piercing him square in the forehead. The other two look round, bewildered. Even I can't see where it's come from and I've got perfect vision on the darkest of nights. Then another, to the one nearest to my left, hitting him in the stomach. He bellows out in pain, and leans forward. Trying to reduce the pain, but it's not doing anything for him, for he soon collapses just like all the others.

The one nearest to my right realises sense and takes cover beneath Warmaiden's overhanging roof. Pressing his back as far into the wall as possible, waiting for the next patrol to come down. Which won't be far away, maybe a couple of minutes at most? Whiterun isn't the largest city in Skyrim. I don't take any time hesitating any longer and scream out.

"Hurry! Come and help me get this gate open!"

Aela comes running, and we both pull on the iron handles. Dragging the heavy metal and wooden doors open. But only enough to produce the smallest of gaps between, which we idly slip through.

YES! Thank Talos! The watchmen on the outdoors must've been withdrawn inside Whiterun. Aela starts to run into the middle of the road, and right into the middle of the night.

"Aela stop!"

"Kre'ja we need to move fast, now we're out of the city, c'mon!"

"We've got no idea who shot those guards Aela, and whoever they are could still be here to get a shot at us, we need to stay down and keep close to cover, at least until we reach the open road and there's nowhere to shelter."

"You mean that wasn't you?"

"What are you on about? Didn't you see? I only threw the throwing knives, I don't bring my bow and arrow into the main areas, and I'm still classed as a kid in the eyes of the Jarls."

"I turned round because I thought I heard something behind me, and was preparing to take more cover down the back alley of the Drunken Huntsman but when I turned round all the guards by you were down. I just assumed it was you!"

"We'll discuss it when we get back home, but for now let's just focus on actually _getting_ home." I can't help my fears. That was an excellent shot. I couldn't see where it came from either which scares me more than I'm showing. So I convince her to stay with me as low and hidden as possible.

But since the drawbridge is up we're forced to vault over the wall connecting with the watchtowers. I remind myself in my head that we still need to move fast. The Whiterun guard will think it was us that killed their men, and will be aiming to kill us on sight now. Aela makes for the open road, whilst I head for the stables, breaking through the wooden fence barricading the horses in, and jump on the first one I see. I ride it over to Aela and she sticks her left arm in the air. I grab her hand and hoist her up, she lands safely behind me, both legs in place. We ride off over the bridge on the right at the end of the road leading past the farms and stables and head for Riverwood. If we can make it there we'll get rid on the horse and send it back to the stables at Whiterun, then head for the woods where Aela's father is camping out. He often makes a habit of hunting wolves and bears for their pelts. It's not a bad business. The blacksmiths buy them quite often in order to make good fine leather to use in their armour's.

Luckily we don't run into any trouble on the road back to the small town of Riverwood. Once we reach the bridge crossing the stream to the edge of the town we dismount the horse and send it back on its way. She trots off, slowly making her way back to the stables.

Then we head east up the hill, which is a bit more of a dangerous path. It leads upwards into the frost-falling mountains and caverns of Bleak Falls Barrow. If I remember correctly there's also a tower on the way up that's been taken over by bandits, but nobody has ever bothered to go and clear them out since they don't do the townsfolk any harm. They only attack and steal from people crossing the road that passes by the place. But we're not heading directly that way, because Aela's father camps out on the right hand side of the forestry area, and not quite so high up. So we head in that general direction until we see a small set of flames, and turn diagonally towards them.

The daylight is starting to seep through the trees now, summer time offers a lot of daylight and most people are usually up by at least five in the morning.

"Ah, hello young huntress. I see you've brought Kre'ja with you. I hope you two haven't been playing around _all_ night!"

"Haha, well about that…" I'm well acquainted with the man, but it's Aela who's talking to him at the moment. I don't want to intervene in what could possibly be our way of getting a good alibi.

"What have you done this time…?" He asked. Half moaning and half laughing. "I could hear all the kafuffle all the way from Whiterun. I hope you're not going to tell me that was the pair o' you!"

"I'm not gonna lie to you father. We may… Or may not… Have been seen wandering around after midnight in the city."

"Ah well girl, no harm ever comes from a nights stroll. Besides their rules are too tight in that place anyway, and you know what I always say? Rules are meant to be broken."

This is the part where I speak up, I need to tell the whole story or we may not quite get away with it, especially if he found out later that we hadn't told him the whole truth.

"Well actually there was a slight issue…"

"Hmm? Indeed?" Raising his voice in pitch a bit, suggesting his query at what I was saying.

"We were close to getting jailed. They'd fortified the walls with soldiers and had patrols going around looking for us. But then the guards on the south wall moved off somewhere else. I think they thought we were going towards the northern hemisphere of the city. So we took our advantage and went for the main gates. I knocked out one of the guards on the door, and then the second after a struggle on the ground, but a patrol of seven were coming down past Belethor's and saw me. I injured three with my throwing knives, and another fell from one of the others clumsiness with his sword. But the other three carried on and I was out of knives…"

"Aye… I see. I do not like where this is going lad; but carry on anyhow."

"Well the other three closed in, forcing my back against the main gates. And then two arrows flew out of nowhere, striking one straight in the head, and the other in his lower chest. The third ran for cover under Warmaiden's and then we escaped. But I honestly have no idea who executed those shots, because I couldn't see anyone around." I stopped talking, and stared at the man, letting him know I had finished my story. But it was a few moments before he responded.

"First of all if anyone asks where the two of you were, you were with me the entire night helping me hunt for wolf pelts. Secondly you both need to keep your heads down until I can find out more about who this character might be. Killing city guardsmen is not something someone would do lightly. Especially for a couple of kids. So either you were in the middle of something that these people were operating on, who knows though. Some sort of big theft perhaps, or a scouting report from one of the other cities. Who can tell? Or the other case would be that this person or these people wanted you alive, for one reason or another."

I can't respond, and Aela is just as stunned. I don't think we expected any sort of response like that. But we were both shocked when we saw the guards go down like it'd been knocked over by a troll or something.

"I'll get in touch with a few of my contacts and find out what's going on in Whiterun, and if any of the groups dotted around the local area have any profiles on either of the two of you. Kre'ja do you mind if I get in touch with your parents on this one? I know your mother has a lot of contacts that would come in use?"

"Umm…" I don't really know what to say. I'm still gobsmacked by the seriousness that he's taken this up on. "Yeah I guess so; if it will help you sort this out of course. Just as long as I don't get in too much trouble."

"Don't worry lad, I'll make sure they don't inflict any blame on you. I expect they'll be just as concerned as I am for your safety, rather than thinking of giving you any extra chores around the house." He sits and stares up at the night sky for a while longer, which is ridden with lines and shades of blue, ranging from aquatic to an almost dark purple. Crossing across the sky like coloured dust particles, almost like a night rainbow. Which you see a lot of in the center of Skyrim but it's still an absolutely gorgeous sight. "The pair of you should get some rest. Here, there are two bedrolls in my rucksack, place them under the tent and kip down for a few hours until the townsfolk start going about their business. Then I'll wake you up and we'll set you off about what you normally do."

I let Aela search around in his bag for the bedrolls, and once she's got them out I start to help set them up. Doesn't take long, literally a couple of seconds just to shake them out and unravel them. Then we get down some shut-eye for what can only be called the morning.

"Aela, Kre'ja. Get up quickly, we need to move. I think there are some bandits on our trail."

"Father? How long have we been asleep for?"

"No more than a few hours, but come on, we need to get packed up and gone from this area quickly. We'll head back down to Riverwood."

Not feeling at all refreshed I get up, out of my roll and pack it away with Aela's into her father's rucksack and then help the two of them to pack the tent up. I stamp out the fire before we leave, and we go at a running pace down the hill of which we came up. It doesn't take massively long and we weren't too much of a distance from the town, but not within hearing range if we shouted for help. Its common sense to avoid trouble if you can help it, rather than take a chance and think you'll be fine where you are. That's what gets adventurers and hunters killed. It's the one's that stay on the move that are the best.

We get down to the bridge leading over to Riverwood and walk over the short stone surface and into the town. The damp stone is cold beneath my feet. I never have worn shoes, my fur naturally keeps me warm enough not to need them but I can often still feel if it's been raining on the ground. It's a nice feeling in a way, reminding me of the background I'm in. To our left are the tents set up by the trading caravan that my parents belong to. It's because they were always travelling that I was given the option to stay behind and look after myself a few years ago instead of going from city to city with them.

I didn't mind the trips as such, and I always had a lot of free time with my parents. That was when my father would teach me everything he had learned growing up, like how to shoot a bow and arrow, and how to sneak, how to get around everywhere in the easiest fashion. But I took up on my own a few years back and I've spent a lot of time with Aela, teaching her what I've been taught and in return, learning what she knows.

My family have always been with the trading caravans. The family name of K'hasten which I belong to has never had a bad reputation, never getting involved with murders or thefts. Even my grandparents protected the merchants of the trading caravans, just as my parents do now. They've gained respect over the years from helping out people in the cities. Doing them favours and never asking for anything in return. Obviously I still get racial abuse from time to time directed at by people who don't know me, but that's only a minority in this area of Skyrim. I still see plenty of Khajiit that are frowned upon by almost everyone, and unfortunately that tends to be the case for me everywhere else in Skyrim.

I run towards them, "Mother! Father!"

"Kre'ja! You're here darling, we thought we wouldn't see you before we set off again." My mother smiled and hugged me. Then my father came over from talking to one of the fellow merchants, picked me up and span me around.

"Hey! I'm not a little kitten anymore you know!" We both laugh as he put me down and he ruffled the fur atop my head. Aela and her father came over to greet them as well, with my parents giving her hugs and then the two males of the families shook hands and offered one another a friendly '_It's been a while' _type of greeting.

"What did you mean anyway mother, when you said you thought you wouldn't see me before you left?" I asked, but already knowing the answer.

"Well, we can't stay here for too long, the merchandise on board won't sell in Whiterun. Or any of the nearby towns. The traders have already tried. So we're off to Solitude, where we hope to get a better deal."

"I knew this was coming… When will I next see you?" I asked with tears starting in my eyes. Aela and her father saw the awkward conversation coming, and left towards the Inn to give us some room. No need really, they're practically family anyway. But my mother didn't say anything; she was starting to cry a little as well. We don't exactly see each other often as it is, it's almost like we don't belong anymore. But it won't mean that we don't and won't always love each other.

"I don't know kid, it could be a month or two. But I'll try and send word with a courier when we're on our way back into Whiterun." My father picked up from the silence. Trying to give me a bit of hope and cheer me up, but I'm not sure it's working too well, for the tears continue to flow down my face. This happens every time.

**A/N:**

_Chapter 2 is on the way, currently writing it now. So I should be uploading it in a few days or so for everyone to read._

_To anyone getting notifications about this new story that read my first previous one from Victorious, I know it's a bit of a dramatic change in genre but I have an extremely varied amount of interests  
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_Also although Aela is quite involved in this chapter, her appearence will steadily decrease (but not to the point where it completely vanishes) in order to make more room for the story to outline Kre'ja, the main character of this story.  
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_I welcome all reviews and actually would like to ask for them, it keeps me going and writing, and definitely gives me ideas for how to improve future chapters. So please write one if you've got the time, constructive criticism also appreciated. Please follow the story or me to receive updates on the upcoming chapters of the story. :)  
_

_Ben.  
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**Disclaimer:**_  
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_I do not own any of the characters except Kre'ja who is my own, although the themes and settings surrounding him and everything else, including the characters belong to the creators of The Elder Scrolls game, Skyrim._**  
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	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: As Time Moves On**

_Sundas, 14__th__ of Morning Star, 4E 192_

My parents set off for Solitude about four months ago now, and ever since then, everything seems to have been going wrong. With my parents gone again; but for much longer this time, the only person I could rely on for constant company was Aela. Except not anymore. She's joined the Companions. Decided she didn't want to wait any longer, and her mother vouched for her. So with all the trouble going on in the west with the necromancers, I haven't seen her much either. Maybe three or four times since that night back in Heartfire.

A few weeks on from the morning after we escaped from Whiterun, and everybody practically gave up looking for the dark stranger that helped me and Aela get out of the city. Except me. I've asked pretty much everywhere around Whiterun and Riverwood, I even trekked down to Helgen to ask around. But the only thing that keeps cropping up is the word _Riften. _

Riften… Home to the Thieves Guild, crooks, villains, con artists and corruption. It's outlined on the far south-east of Skyrim, effectively out of the way from the rest. It wasn't originally intended to hold all these. It wasn't supposed to have any particular significance really. No wonder it ended up the way it did. The Empire is still trying to get some sort of authority there, but they aren't getting far. I suppose if they did, it wouldn't be referred to as the City of Thieves anymore. They'd soon see to that. But the Guild has a high influence, especially on the Jarl. Rumour has it they've got something on everyone, which doesn't exactly make it difficult for them to blackmail and get their own way.

I've been saving up to get a trip there by cart. It comes to roughly fifty septims if I take the cart from Whiterun. I've got enough gold to go and investigate the matter now, in fact I've got just over seventy septims saved up from trying to hunt. But I've had living expenses to pay as well for food and other essentials. The only thing stopping me from leaving from Riften right now is that I want to go up towards Solitude to see if my parents are still there. Solitude is on the complete opposite side of Skyrim, directed at the north-west. The capital city of Skyrim, owned by the Empire and swarming with soldiers. It's an absolutely beautiful city, and in my eyes one of the best. But that's mainly because it's got so much to climb and get around, whilst still keeping its natural look. Markarth has much more structure than Solitude; in fact it's got the most and the best buildings to climb around than any other city. But personally I have a slight distaste for how the dwarves made it into a city purely built around their so called _'Science' _and destroying most of the nature there, with the exception of the great waterfall that flows down from the very top of Understone Keep to the bottom where the entrance is held.

"Look at it this way kid, if you go to Riften in search of this stranger, you could end up in all sorts of trouble. It would easily be best for you to go _with _somebody at least. Even if it was to be a hired mercenary."

I'd made my way from my tent setup in Riverwood on the bank by the mill, and over to the Honningbrew Meadery. Where I'd found myself engaged in conversation with Sabjorn, and steadily drinking on some of his mead.

"Hah!" I spit out my mead in laughter, "Me? Afford a merc? I've barely scraped up enough to travel there by cart. I'm not kidding Sabjorn, pretty low on septims at the moment and I don't exactly like the idea of travelling with someone whose only loyalty to me is because of the coin I carry."

"You know I'd have given you a job here any day if I had one going for someone of your age, but you know you still can't serve drinks 'til you're eighteen."

"Yeah thanks mate, but I was sixteen only a few days ago, which means I'm considered able to do a few more things, although not much I'll give you that. But it doesn't matter. I seriously can't go on in life selling pelts and meat, even if I'm not bad with a couple of throwing knives and a bow and arrow." In all honesty I'm much better with my throwing knives, and my bow and arrow is more of a second weapon choice. I prefer not to get up close and personal, and am by far not the best fighter out there. The only thing I pride myself on is my sneaking and climbing abilities. "They don't sell for quite the price they did a few months back."

"Aye I'll give you that lad, so like I said I would probably go towards Solitude to try and find your mum and pa, and I'd advise travelling with them for a while. At least that way you'll be supported, until the need for hunters or something crops up again at any rate."

"Yeah… I guess so." I sigh, knowing he's right. I can't support myself at the moment with my skills not bringing in enough gold. So there's no chance of me surviving in Riften for long if I went in search for this _stranger_. Knowing my luck? I'd probably end up with a knife in my back on the first day.

"C'mon kid, drink up and I'll set you up here for the night, and then you can set off tomorrow morning. I'll walk you up to the stables so you can get your ride up to Solitude."

I drink up as instructed, almost robotic. Too lost in my mind to answer anything in response, attempting to put all the pieces together. Afterwards I headed upstairs, climbing the wooden staircase and onto the upper floor. My feet taking me to the room I'd stayed in so much beforehand, accustomed to the route I had to take to get there. Drawing back the sheets of the bed and climbing in, not bothering to get changed. It's getting too late now and I'm absolutely exhausted, not to mention a little dizzy from the few bottles of mead I had earlier. And on that note I drift off.

I wake up and it's still dark. There isn't a stretch of light streaming through the curtains to my left. But I can hear footsteps just outside my rooms' door. Then I notice it. A small envelope on the bedside table on my left. I'd seen it when I looked over at the curtains, but hadn't instantly noticed it. I pick it up and tear the seal open, bringing out my claws and using them to do so quickly. Opening the folded letter, I spot four words written clearly in the middle of the page.

'_Not Riften. Not yet.'_

I figure this could only be Sabjorn. I haven't told anybody else about this, and the only other person who could possibly have a clue is Aela's father, from when he was trying to help me out. But he gave up on that a long time ago, and went straight back to hunting again to help fund his life. I rush to the door, and swing it open. Only to find nobody there.

Strange…

I could've sworn I heard somebody right outside only seconds ago. I jump over the bannister, landing right on the wooden floorboards fifteen feet under, but they don't even shake under my weight. They support my landing with ease, and then I spin around, a full one-hundred and eighty degrees. My eyes seeing yet again, more than your average Skyrim citizen even in this dim light, where only one lamp is lit. Sabjorn's holding it in his left hand, using it to see himself lock the front door to shut down for the night. Well… The morning really, I assume by the way the sky is out the front window that it is probably about three in the morning.

"Sabjorn." I speak up, but clearly frightening him.

"Kre'ja!" He jumps round and backs himself into the wall behind him, raising his lantern and drawing his small dagger. "Talos kid! You scared me! Where did you come from? And what are you doing up anyway?"

"You mean you didn't hear me jump down?" I ask, raising my voice slightly.

"Of course I didn't, you cats are completely silent all the time, and _you_ should know that."

"I'm a Khajiit Sabjorn." I scowl at him; he should know I hate that reference to my kind. "I'm no more a cat than you are an ape."

"Of course Kre'ja, I do apologise. Really." He reaches behind the bar and throws me another bottle of mead. Then he lays down his lantern on the end of one of the tables, and opening a bottle himself. But of course by the time he's got one from under the bar, mine's already open and I've taken a fair few swigs from it. Then I go to sit down at a stool, whilst he stands on the other side, leaning his arms over and taking sips from the top of his own bottle.

"Yeah well… First of all I expected you to have a better opinion of my race as a whole anyway, and secondly." I pause, then pull out the letter from my back pocket, and place it on the table. "What's this doing on my bedside table?"

Sabjorn picks it up and reads it, then looks up at me, and looks into my eyes. Noticing the accusing glare that I'm giving him.

"Not Riften not yet. What does that mean?" He says the whole phrase without pausing, as if he's trying to rush through it.

"I was hoping you could tell me. After all I'm assuming it was you who put it there. I already told you I was going to Solitude first, why are you posting this in my room? Are you trying to scare me in case I change my mind?!" I almost let it out as a shout. My tone definitely raises and picks up in volume, but it's not so much an angry tone as you might expect. Sabjorn is an old friend, but right now I could really do without this shit.

"Me?" He goes into his defensive mode, as I'd predicted. "Kre'ja I haven't been upstairs all night, I've been busy downstairs serving the customers. I've literally only just dismissed them all. Nobody else is staying the night, so I haven't let anyone else upstairs either."

"Then how did it get there? I suppose you're going to tell me Rajhin put it there? Or even your God Talos?"

"Who the bloody hell is Rajhin? And no that's not what I'm suggesting at all…"

"Rajhin is the great Khajiit from ancient times back in Elsweyr, the province from where our race originated from, who was famous for his burglaries and was accepted to become the thief God of the Khajiit after his death."

"I won't comment on that Kre'ja, each race have their own beliefs. For example us Nords strongly worship Talos, but of course the Aldmeri Dominion, or the Altmer, the High Elf. Whatever you want to call them, they've forbidden the worship of Talos in any Empire controlled province. This is why there's talk of a rebellion starting in Skyrim. Although that's still just rumour at the moment."

"Yeah whatever, well back to the matter in hand Sabjorn. You're honestly telling me this note had nothing to do with you?"

"I swear on my Inn kid."

This makes me chuckle. Even if it is just slightly, I do love Sabjorn. Second to Aela of course, this guy is the best friend I've ever had. And this Inn means the world to him. He loves running it, he loves the banter he gets from customers of a night time, and likes the lack of adventure he gets in his life. Not exactly one for travel and glory ol' Sabjorn. His lived in Whiterun most of his life.

I doubt I'd get back to sleep now; I'm too concerned that if it wasn't Sabjorn who put the note there, that somebody else must've gotten in and out some other way, which means they can do it again. I don't particularly want my throat sliced open in the middle of my sleep. So I stay up with Sabjorn, just chatting. But I make this drink my last, and then start taking water so that I'm not too tipsy for tomorrows' journey over to Solitude.

**A/N:**

_I realise this is a shorter chapter than the first, but I intend to make the following one's longer than this one. Chapter 2 was mainly to point out what had happened between when Kre'ja still had no worries, and when he starts to enter the world as an adult._

_Also I know this may not have come out as quickly as some of you may have liked following the first chapter, but I've found it hard to concentrate on the story recently, so I'll expect that the next chapter should be out approximately in about 4-5 days._

_I welcome all reviews and actually would like to ask for them, it keeps me going and writing, and definitely gives me ideas for how to improve future chapters. So please write one if you've got the time, constructive criticism also appreciated. Please follow the story or me to receive updates on the upcoming chapters of the story. :)  
_

_Ben.  
_

**Disclaimer:**_  
_

_I do not own any of the characters except Kre'ja who is my own, although the themes and settings surrounding him and everything else, including the characters belong to the creators of The Elder Scrolls game, Skyrim._**  
**


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